Sewing is cool.

You know why? Here are my top five reasons why:

1. I am tall. It is hard to find clothes that fit sometimes (okay, a lot!). When I sew I can adjust this! At the moment I don't know exactly how to this in the best way, but I can learn!

2. Immediate satisfaction. I can make something in an hour if I want to- like a simple pillow or maybe placemat? OR- I can start a bigger project to piddle with here and there. Since I have a "craft room" now, I can also keep this out of the hands of the 2 year old!

3. It uses my brain. I have to read the patterns and figure them out like a puzzle, and I've always liked puzzles!

4. I like clothes, and thus I am now finding out- I like FABRIC! I am totally turning into my mother here. She told me a few days ago that my aunt once gave her a bumper sticker that said "Whoever dies with the most fabric wins!" It is fun to be able to pick out the color I want, then pick out the pattern I want.

5. I am cheap. Or shall I say "cost conscious" as the old commercial used to say. When I can get a CUTE yard of fabric for under 5 bucks, and that yard could make a dress for Kara, a skirt for me, or a tote bag- WOW! Awesome. I get to save money and have fun making it at the same time! Lovin' it!

My dress! There will be no pics of the back because it is somewhat of a trainwreck, though the fabric pattern hides a lot :)

Bloggidy Blogging

I have been thinking about updating this blog since last September, but Facebook kinda took the place of updating here! Since my mom STILL won't join Facebook, I think I shall start to blog again to share pictures and the antics of the toddler hurricane named Kara! :)

It's been a good year....my first as an adjunct professor and private voice teacher...it had it's challenges, but it was the right choice for our family for sure. I finally lost the baby weight, and now have started sewing, which is bringing me great joy! Kara keeps us busy and is talking up a storm. She loves to play with her baby dolls, help me clean, play with her kitchen, and is obsessed with TV! She loves the Backyardigans, Wonder Pets, and Dora! Here is a new pic of my sweetie in a dress that I actually MADE. Who knew! :) She picked out the shoes :)

Back to blogging!

Wowzers- it's been since July 7th since I blogged!!!! What has happened?!? Life...vacation....houseguests.....rat infestation....work....toddler... craziness. Well, I'm back now! :) BTW- I didn't really have a rat infestation, but wanted to see if you were reading.

The summer ended fabulously in certain ways, and sadly in others. On the happy end of things-  I loved every minute of my time at home with Kara (well, besides the psycho fits). My MIL and mom came to visit (NOT AT THE SAME TIME!) and Kara and I traveled to GA to see my family and some extended family. It was awesome to see them bond with Kara and be amused by her tricks.  On a sadder note, we had a couple deaths in the family.  My cousin's husband was killed in the line of duty as a police officer in Ft Myers, FL leaving behind his wife (my cousin) and three young children, and then my grandfather died a couple weeks after that. My cousin's husbands death was so tragic, senseless, and jarring, while my grandfather lived a wonderfully full life. Two different kind of of deaths, two different types of grief. Both just really really sad. Really puts things in perspective.

ANYWHO- life is really great right now. I AM OUT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOM. Can I say that again? I AM OUT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOM. It was a risk quitting at the end of last year, but I knew I needed to do it and I am SOOOO happy I did! I am LOVING teaching at the college level, and have about 30 voice students at the middle and high school level. So I am teaching them one on one, and they pay me for my time- (no discipline!!!). Lovin' it. Lovin' it. Lovin' it. I get to pick Kara up earlier, get to sleep later, and just in general am happier! Still busy, but good busy. Oh, and I have to shop a little less :) 

Kara is my little crazy goober, but I wouldn't have it any other way! She loves to dress up, play make-up, pretend to read, try to plug things in, and push around her doll in the dolly stroller. She says "baby doll" too- her first 2 word combo, well besides her saying hi to everything, including her belly, kitty, and cheese. Bill and I try to take her outside as much as possible- she loves just running around in the grass, and saying "weeee" going down the slide.  Here are some new pics of our pookie:

Check out my belly!!!!!!!

 

  

BTW- I put this tricycle together! Whoohoo! She doesn't really "go" yet- but I can push her on it and I know she will soon!

Random Crafting

I admit it, I am a random crafter. I get obsessed with something, I learn how to do it, do it a few weeks, then quit and move on. I learned how to make jewelry once (have a buttload of beads to prove it), learned how to knit (oh yeah, closet of yarn), I have a container of stamps, loads of scrapbook materials, I could go on and on.

My newest thing is making barrettes for Kara. I actually really like making these, despite the fact that she pulls them out after about a nanosecond in her hair! I just saw an advertisement for a Wilton cake decorating class that sparked my interest, but I am just saying no! That's the last thing I need- an excuse to make cakes! Anyway, here's a sampling of my latest creations! :)

A Boring 4th...but a cute Kara!

We didn't do too much this July 4th. Bill worked almost all day at a music concert/picnic and Kara and I hung out at home. We decided not to fight the crowds to go see fireworks this year, not knowing how she'd react. We did have a fab barbecue dinner at Rudy's though!












Top: July 2008
Bottom: July 2007-

What a difference a year makes!

They just don't get it!

Today I had a lovely day of shopping and browsing around today with my little KEG (Kara Elizabeth G.) I went to Barnes and Noble to pick up the Lisa Loeb "Camp Lisa" children's CD that my friend Liz recommended, and of course also bought myself a yummy iced latte and blueberry scone. Kara sat happily in her stroller (a miracle in itself) while I expertly steered with one hand, and held my iced coffee in the other. It was a wonderful time, and also gave me some things to reflect upon. The first thing I noticed is that most men and middle-aged to older women will go out of their way to smile, coo at Kara, and/or hold the door for me! One man even ran ahead of me to catch the door! Loved him!

On the other hand, childless women particularly (I'm sure none that I know!!) will just let that door shut right in front of me, without even a backwards glance. They just don't get it! They also don't get that when I tell them to go ahead of me, I really don't mean it! I am not just being nice.... I am secretly hoping they will graciously hold the door for me! I am an expert at the backwards navigation, don't get me wrong, but I really don't need to practice my skills! I am sure that girl really thought SHE was being nice when she said "no, you go ahead" and then proceeded to just watch me turn around to back out of the store, still navigating with one hand, struggling with the door and the coffee with the other. At the same time, I also felt the need to act like I did not need any help, and almost wanted to impress my single counterpart with my stroller piloting skills. I did my very best to keep my drink stabilized, keep cool, and back out with ease, all the while looking at my daughter adoringly. When the door shut on my foot, I pretended it didn't hurt, and moved along to the next store, also without a backwards glance. Why the need for the false bravado? Is it pride, OR is it my wanting to pretend that things haven't changed since having a child. I CAN still shop, I CAN still drink my coffee.... I have it all under control (ha!). I just occasionally might have boogers on my shirt.... I'll pretend it was the scone.

So my childless friends out there...hold the door for the moms out there! We may look like we have it all together, but we need all the help we can get!

Mommy's little slave!

Kara has really taken an interest in mimicking me- even cleaning- haha! See I really do clean, despite what my house might look like most of the time! Hope you enjoy this little video!